The Wounds That Heal
by SwoopingDragon
Summary: After living most of her life in a secluded tower, Ayla needs to learn how to cope with life outside walls. A full tale of Origin's events, exploring some of the finer lines of morality in Thedas.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Bioware, of course; I just thought that I would try to write this as a token of my love ;)

A/N: Sorry for the short first chapter, I just wanted to get this out there. Please review, suggestions are welcome.

**Chapter 1: Dreams Always Fade**

_A tiny elven girl dances in a meadow, her whole being overcome by the joy of the sights surrounding her. She chases a vibrant blue butterfly, laughing merrily as it flits out of reach. Giving up the chase, she runs into the extended arms of her mother, whose face she drinks in as she is spun around, giggling. She is as happy as it is possible to be; nothing could spoil this moment of joy and love. _

With a start, Ayla awoke from her dream. As she always does when waking from a memory, she struggled to remember the details of her mother's face, but they slipped away like water falling from the tower roof. No matter how many times she tried, it got harder and harder to remember any details of her life before the Tower.

She gave up, and turned her thoughts instead to what had woken her. She listened carefully, and heard a failed attempt to muffle the clanging footsteps of armored boots on the cold stone floor of the hallway outside. She smiled wryly to herself. _Templars act all high and mighty, but they fall prey to desire like most other men. This one probably arranged to meet some apprentice girl tonight, but didn't even think to take off his armor first. Fool. Then again, I'm not quite sure templars even have any normal clothing. They certainly keep it well hidden, if they do._

But as she listened longer she realized she was wrong; there were two templars. They conversed in tones too quiet for her to understand. With puzzlement, she sat up in her bed, straining her ears to try to catch a snatch of their conversation. Then, in a panic, she heard them approach the door to the apprentice dormitory. Springing into action, she slammed herself back down and pulled the covers over herself, just in time. The door opened, and the two figures enter the room.

"Bed…nine, was it?" one of them asked the other in a whisper that was oddly distorted by the bucket-like helm he wore. Ayla had to stifle a small gasp; bed nine was her bed! She heard the crinkling of paper; probably the other checking a list. She then heard a creaking, like armor being scraped across itself. A nod, maybe?

The footsteps got closer, and Ayla didn't think she had ever been more scared. Suddenly, a gauntleted hand was placed over her mouth. In terror, she screamed, but the sound was too muffled by the hand to be heard, coming out only as a sort of tinny whisper. Thrashing in unrestrained panic, she stared up at her assailant, searching desperately for some sort of weakness she could exploit to escape his grasp.

"Ayla, it's me!" whispered a voice she knew well. Breathing a sigh of relief, Ayla recognized the voice of Cullen, and fell still. Her eyes, two pinpricks of light in the darkened room, still held a question.

Answering them, Cullen took a deep breath. "Apprentice, it is time for your Harrowing."

_Reviews, please!_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Bioware, of course; I just thought that I would try to write this as a token of my love ;)

**Chapter 2: Mage Finals Are…Different**

Ayla pulled on her robes, embarrassed by her fear. Cullen waited outside with another templar Ayla didn't know, drumming his fingers anxiously against the wall he was resting on. When Ayla emerged, smoothing out the front of her robes, he smiled awkwardly.

"It's up at the top, in the, erm, Harrowing chamber. Come with us Ayl-uh, Apprentice."

They set off, an awkward little parade tramping up the Tower's many stairs in the middle of the night. The clanging of the four steel boots echoed in the stone halls, punctuated by the frantic tapping of the elf mage's feet as she struggled to match the much longer strides of her two escorts. While passing by the first enchanter's office, Ayla peered inside, wondering somewhat why he wasn't still there, reclined in his chair while gently leafing through some book he had picked up this morning. A second later, she chided herself for being so slow; obviously he was already in the Harrowing chamber, waiting for her merry little brigade.

With that thought, the enormity of what was about to happen crashed down on her. She was to be Harrowed, taken away to the mysterious floor that no apprentice had ever seen. Moreover, she remembered with a pang of fear, sometimes when an apprentice was taken for their Harrowing, they never returned. Just like Vivian-no, she couldn't think of that, not now. If she was going to pass the test, she would need to be composed and confidant, ready to take on whatever challenges the deadly test involved.

Not that she didn't believe herself capable, though. Far from it, in fact. _Yeah, I'm the best apprentice in this whole damn tower. Let's just hope whoever decides if I'm to graduate or die thinks the same. _Like most apprentices, she had spent many fervid debates theorizing with her friends what horrors constituted the Harrowing. The craziest theory Ayla had heard came from Bailey Melgrove, who held that apprentices were submerged in lyrium then tortured, and had to heal the cuts before the lyrium could enter. Ayla barely suppressed a derisive snort. _Bailey Melgrove's idea of making conversation__ is just saying whatever comes to her mind and hoping every once and a while something clever would come out. Not that it ever does._ All the same, even Jowan's idea that they had to resist a senior enchanter's spells wasn't much more comforting.

Ayla was interrupted from her worries by the realization that they were climbing the last set of stairs before the Harrowing chamber. Nervously, she glanced over at Cullen, trying without success to gauge his expression through his helmet. _It's decidedly odd, seeing him actually wearing his helmet. Normally he keeps it off. That itself is odd, now that I think about it. Most templars only take their stupid pail-ish helmets off to eat. I suppose they see them as some sort of holy mark of their sacred duty._ This time she really did snort. _Sacred duty to stand around and mumble at apprentices running in the hallways, more like. _

Still, though, Cullen wasn't like that. He saw the mages as people, something that in her eyes made him a thousand times better than the others but no doubt got him in trouble with Gregoire a few times. She remembered that she had once asked him why he hadn't been wearing the helmet. He had looked around awkwardly, and then mumbled that he didn't like to look at the world through a slit as narrow as most people's tolerances. Though she had been interested in his odd ways and kindness before that, it was probably then that she really began to trust him.

Eager to see the fabled room and nearly forgetting what awaited her within it, Ayla bounded up the last few steps and stopped short in wonder, drinking in the enormous room. Far above her, stained glass windows sent faint purple shadows on the domed ceiling. Wistfully, she wondered what it would look like in the day, with all the glorious sunlight pouring through. The whole room was filled with the tangy scent of lyrium. Cool drafts from the top of the chamber blew her hair into her eyes, and as she hurriedly pushed it away, she finally noticed that First Enchanter Irving and Knight-Commander Gregoire were watching her, a faint look of amusement on Irving's face. Hurriedly she straightened up, as she did so noticing a raised basin in the middle of the room, containing a brightly glowing substance that she recognized as the essence of lyrium. She felt a moment of irrational panic as Bailey Melgrove's theory rose unbidden to the forefront of her mind.

"I-I am told it is time for my Harrowing, First Enchanter," she said in a voice that quaked more than she was proud of.

The old mage smiled kindly. "Yes, child. Knight-Commander Gregoire will explain it, once you feel you have gotten your bearings."

Taking a deep breath, Ayla gave a terse nod to Gregoire, who began his speech with the well-practiced air of one who has said the words a thousand times before.

"Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him," began Gregoir. Inwardly, Ayla rolled her eyes at the oft quoted piece of scripture. _If he's starting with this, he really must have a set speech. _"Thus spoke the holy prophetess Andraste as she cast down the Tevinter Imperium, ruled by mages who had brought the world to the edge of ruin. Your magic is a gift, but it is also a curse, for demons of the dream realm, the Fade, are drawn to you, and would seek to use you as a gateway into this world." Ayla's mind raced. She was starting to think she knew where this was going, though she fervently hoped she did not.

In what was apparently an attempt to sound encouraging, Irving broke in. "This is why the Harrowing exists. The ritual sends you into the Fade, and there you shall face a demon, armed only with your will."

_Well, fuck. I guess I was right after all. Jowan owes_ _me his share of dessert. _

To continue the wonderful process of good news, Gregoire decided it was time for a warning. "Know this, apprentice; if you fail, we templars shall do our duty; you will die." _Gee, thanks, Gregoire._ _Real boost to the confidence there, buddy._

"Then I guess I won't fail," she quipped out loud, surreptitiously glancing at each of the gathered templars in turn to see who held the sword to end her life. With an unpleasant jolt of surprise, she saw that each of the men were unarmed, with the sole exception of Cullen, whose eyes were glued to his boots as his fingers tapped the hilt of the greatsword resting against his leg.

Her throat suddenly very dry, she asked the next obvious question with significantly less bravado. "So how am I to get to the Fade? I presume I'm not going to be sent to sleep."

Nodding, Gregoire gestured to the basin in the chamber's center. "What you see before you is lyrium, the very essence of magic, and your gateway into the Fade." _Oh, fantastic, not only will I be sent alone to fight a demon, but even to get there I have to touch a substance known to be fatal to mages in large quantities. This night could only get more like my nightmares if I look down and find out I've been naked the whole time.  
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Either because he sensed her irritation or just because it was another part of the speech, Irving justified, "The Harrowing is a secret out of necessity, child. Each mage must go through this trial by fire. As we succeeded, so shall you. Keep your wits about you, and remember that the Fade is a realm of dreams. The spirits may rule it, but your own will is real."

"The apprentice must go through this alone, First Enchanter," interrupted Gregoire. "She is ready."

Ayla looked back and forth between the two of them one last time, then squared her shoulders and walked toward the glowing pool. Just before reaching it, she looked over at Cullen. Through the helmet, she met his gaze for a moment. Then, wrenching her eyes away, she took a deep breath and plunged her hand into the lyrium.

A strange cool, tingly feeling traveled up her arm and she stared at the glowing light dancing upon the skin of her hand, transfixed. As the cool feeling made it up to her head, her vision went blindingly white, and she vaguely felt herself fall to the ground, head buzzing with the eerie sound of magic.

When she opened her eyes, she was in the Fade.

_Thanks for reading! Reviews, please?_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Bioware, of course; I just thought that I would try to write this as a token of my love ;)

_A/N- Okay, for like the two people actually reading this, I apologize sincerely for the massive lag between updates, there has been a TON going on in school and it just got away from me. Here is my update, anyway, much later than was promised. Hope it's sort of a little bit worth some of the wait._**  
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**Chapter 3: Never Trust Strange Men, Even If They Can Turn Into Rats**

Ayla blinked, her head still reeling from the light. She looked up at the green sky overhead, squinting as she always did, trying to make out further realms. As always, far in the distance she could only just make out the Black City, though its finer features remained a mystery. Glancing behind her, she saw an empty archway, leading only to the edge of the island. _Guess I'm not leaving that way, then._

With a grimace, she stood up, crinkling her nose in distaste at the slightly spongy ground beneath her feet. The demons that created these realms seemed to think that the ground on earth was speckled and somewhat similar in consistency to the Tower's meatloaf, apparently.

Straightening up and smoothing out her robe, Ayla scanned around her for any clues on her path. To her left she noticed a few ceramic urns, the contents of which seemed to be glowing slightly. With an utterly unnecessary sly look behind her, Ayla grabbed the nearest one and threw it to the ground, grinning widely as it smashed. _Breaking things is always so satisfying._ Within the shards of broken urn, however, she noticed a glowing orb, which grew brighter at her touch, letting out a metallic hum. Laughing slightly, she tucked it in her component pouch. _Well, look at that; healing orbs. Almost looking like the Templars want apprentices to survive._

With a last somewhat disturbed look at the twisted statue beside her, Ayla began to creep down the path, wincing at every creak made by her none too stealthy feet. _What the hell is there on this ground that should make noise when stepped on, anyhow? It's not like there's any sticks or anything. _She made a quiet annoyed hmph. _These demons are just plain spiteful._

Almost exactly on cue, a creature made literally of light came round the corner toward Ayla. As she jumped, startled, there was a sound like crackling energy and a beam of electricity sparked from the creature, hitting Ayla in the chest and sending painful twinges all across her torso.

_Ah, dammit, Wisps. Nobody likes you, you stupid little-_ her internal rant was cut off by necessity as she shouted an incantation. With a smirk of satisfaction, she saw the wisp freeze, and then wink out of existence. _That'll show you, dumb-ass little...ball of light...__Oh, maker help me, I'm trash-talking a dead wisp._

Slightly warier, she continued down the path. She reached a corner in the secluded little walled in...path, maybe? Back against the wall, she peered cautiously around the corner, scanning for any signs of danger. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, she strode with confidence around the corner. Roughly three seconds later, she nearly jumped out of her skin as there was the ringing sound of magic, and the previously unseen rat on the ground transformed into a man. "So, another mage taken by the Templars and thrown to the wolves," rang out a a bitter voice.

_Dammit, always check the ground. I should know that anyway from all the pranks I've pulled involving putting plates of piss beside_ _Jowan's bedside in the middle of the night. Dumb fool learned quickly to look before stepping out of bed in the morning. _

Tearing her mind away from the escapades of her childhood, Ayla looked the rat-man over from head to toe. His somewhat piggish face was framed by messy shoulder length dirty blonde hair. His arms moved nervously, but strangely he still stood with remarkably straight posture. He wore the robes of a circle mage...red robes, in fact. _Odd. So, a strange man appears in the Fade, can transform into a rat, and wears the robes of a senior enchanter? Most curious. Still, though, it **is** the Fade. "My own will is real" and all that. Maybe I subconsciously expect bizarre men to pop up everywhere._

"If I've been thrown to the wolves, the wolves had better watch themselves," said Ayla, adopting what she thought to be a determined expression, though it may have looked more irritated than anything else.

The rat-man seemed unimpressed. "Indeed. You will forgive me if I am not entirely confident of your chance to survive. Few mages do. The Templars ensure it."

Ayla raised an eyebrow quizzically. "And how would you know? You're either dead or you never existed at all, so I think I'll take your moping with a grain of salt. How did you get here, anyhow?"

The rat-man sighed dramatically. "I was once an apprentice, just like you. I was sent here for my Harrowing. The Templars must have thought I was taking too long, or just had it in for me, because I felt a pain in my neck and then my connection with my body was gone. That's all it takes. One swordstroke, and you're gone, trapped here forever. And the same thing is going to happen to you."

Ayla rolled her eyes. _Just what I need, another depressed pessimist_. _At least Jowan has a sense of humor._ Out loud, she said, "Not if I can help it. What in Thedas is my test, anyhow? All I really got was that it had something to do with a demon, not dying, that sort of thing."

Sounding morose, the rat-man bent his neck, closing his eyes as though the news were too painful for him to bear. _Oh, for Maker's sake, do we really need to draw this out? Either tell me or don't, and let me be on my freaking way._

He looked up. "The Templars...have alerted a demon to your presence. It comes hoping for a meal, and you are expected to defeat it, with no weapons or help from other mages. An apprentice versus a demon, surely a fair match," he added sarcastically.

"Is that all? Might as well get a move on then. Come on, you're coming with me. What should I call you, by the way?" she said, walking briskly down the path and addressing the man over her shoulder.

For the first time, Ayla saw a tiny smile on the man's face. "You can call me, well, Mouse."

_Thanks for reading! Reviews, please?_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Bioware, of course; I just thought that I would try to write this as a token of my love)

**Chapter 4: Fade Spirits Are Bad Neighbors  
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Creeping down the path, Ayla couldn't help but feel some trepidation about what she was up against, bravado or no. Demons weren't exactly mages' best friends. She found herself wondering what sort she was faced with. _I doubt I'm supposed to fight a pride demon on my own, at the very least. If that were the test, the tower would have about three mages in it. From all the senior mages who loved to shout at me as I run down the halls, I certainly know that isn't the case._**  
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As Aya turned the corner, she saw to her right a clearing off the main path, encircled with cracking flames. "That is where the demon will appear," said Mouse. _I could have guessed that for myself; it isn't exactly subtle. Maker, everything in the Fade has quite a flare for the dramatic. I guess it must get boring, being trapped in this creepy-ass green world all the time. I would probably become an amateur actor too._

Her musing was interrupted by a bolt of electricity flying at her face. With a cry, Ayla dived out of the way, the bolt leaving a slight scorchmark on the ground where it hit. _Goddamn, stupid fucking-_ She gestured angrily, and a flash of frost winking the wisp out of existence was proof that she could still cast while irritated. _Good thing, too, or I would never be able to cast anything. _Spying another wisp, she shot a bolt of arcane energy at it, grinding her teeth at the squeaking sounds of Mouse by her foot.

"You could help, you know," she said, irritated. "You could have bit them or something. Or even, I know this is crazy, turned back into a **flipping person** and attacked it with **magic**. You may be familiar with it, mages use it to fight."

Mouse stared her down with his beady little rodent eyes. "I am small, and I hide to survive. I have hidden ever since I was trapped here. When you have been killed, I will still be hiding. I am not going to change just to benefit your futile cause."

"Love you too, Mouse," said Ayla, turning her head with disdain. To her left, she caught sight of a ghostly figure dressed in Templar armor, watching her though her battles.

"Oh, for Andraste's sake, do none of you ever get off your asses and help a girl out with some crowd control? I mean, seriously, how hard can it be to walk three steps and cut a freaking wisp in half with your damn broadsword?" she called out to him, walking over with her hands on her hips.

The figure drew itself up, looking deeply offended. "I am Valor, and you were engaged in a personal battle," he said, his voice echoing slightly as though spoken down a long tunnel.

"Well, I never would have guessed. Seems a bit like a Sloth's behavior, but you can call yourself whatever you want, I guess," said Ayla, needling it deliberately. Behind the spirit she noticed a rack of weapons, some powerful looking mage staffs among them. "Tell you what, if you want to really prove your courage you can battle me for one of those weapons you have there."

The spirit made a thoughtful noise. "Perhaps that could be in order. If you do not battle well enough to convince me you could kill your demon, I will take your life to save everyone time." _Man, nobody in this damn place has any confidence in me. Not too reassuring, honestly._

"Let's do this then," she said, stepping into a ready position. _Feet apart, hands open, point toes and fingers at opponent, deep breaths, find your focus. _Ayla took a deep breath. If there was one thing that came naturally to her it was magic. Some mages saw their magic as a curse, a sign of disfavor from the Maker. Ayla couldn't imagine herself without it. With only lingering snippets of her old life remaining to her, magic was the one thing in the world she could hold on to, make her own. She wouldn't give it up for the world.

"On your guard then," said the so-called Valor, raising his sword. There was a moment of silence as each stared at the other, and then the fight began.

Valor slashed out with his sword, Ayla barely dodging it. Realizing that if she spent her energy on ducking, she wouldn't be able to cast anything, she planted her feet and threw an arcane bolt directly into Valor's face. One spell wouldn't be enough, though, and as she was beginning to raise her arm for another, the sword came down, making a deep cut down her middle. Gasping, Ayla grabbed her forearm and spoke the words of a healing incantation as quickly as she dared. When she took her hand away, a wash of cool swept through her body and she felt her skin knitting itself together even as she began her specialty ice spell.

Valor tried to cut her down, to prevent the spell he saw coming, but he was too slow. Frozen solid, he stopped moving in the middle of his swing, sword raised above his head. Smiling, Ayla lowered her guard stance and smoothed out the front of her robes, dusting off strange sparkling particles that floated through the Fade.

With the sound of ice cracking, Valor lowered his sword, returning to his upright stance. "Very well, mage, I deem you strong enough to defeat your demon. Here is a staff, crafted by the Spirit of Valor. May it serve you well in the battle to come."

Bowing politely, Ayla gracefully accepted the offered staff and turned, walking once more down the path. She would be outwardly polite to Valor, who had given her what she wanted, but inside...

_Suck it, Fade, you can't beat me!_

_Thanks for reading! Reviews are welcome._


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Bioware, of course; I just thought that I would try to write this as a token of my love)

_A/N: To anyone who feels bored by the initial chapters being this in detail, it is mostly just for the intro; I want to get a solid grip on Ayla's background before I get into the main part of the story. You won't have to hear about every wandering monster Ayla kills, I promise._

**Chapter 5: Oh Joy, Riddle Time  
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Small as this little sector of the Fade appeared to be, there was one more path Ayla could see that did not lead to the ring where she would face her demon. _ Eh, it's hardly like anything waiting down it will be worse than a fight to the death. _Tossing her new staff from hand to hand, she set off down the path, a spring in her step. Behind her, she heard Mouse grumbling to himself, something about "damn fool mage...go off and wander around...demons...wonderful" but he followed nonetheless. Ayla smiled to herself. _It must get pretty boring around here if a coward like him is following me around._

Up ahead, a pair of spectral wolves appeared, their translucent pelts glowing slightly in the half-light of the Fade. _Sweet, time to test out my new toy._ Ayla fired off a shot from the staff. It hit with a solid sound, and sizzled slightly against the wolf's side. However, it didn't seem to do enough damage to take the wolf out of commission. _That's all? Well, I guess it's good enough when I'm out of juice...__I suppose I can shoot it a few more times, see if that's enough. _Jabbing at the wolf, another bolt of magical energy shot from the tip of the staff, hitting the wolf in the side. It continued to run toward Ayla, getting dangerously close. _This is taking a long time. Ah, fuck it._ Ayla switched to her casting stance, and blasted enough magical cold from the end of the staff that the wolf fell to the ground, frozen solid. A second later it flashed white and was gone. _That's more like it! I guess there really is no substitute for magic. Good thing, too, I would hate to be made obsolete.  
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As she neared the turn in the path, Ayla slowed down, concentrating on each footstep, trying to make as little noise as possible. _Better than my test or not, there's certainly no point in running into a trap._ Peering around the corner, she squinted in confusion at what she saw at the top of the hill. What looked like a bear lay sleepily, its discolored and rotting flesh punctured by numerous spikes. Ayla wracked her brains. _What demons appear as a rotting bear? It was either sloth or hunger... Well, no better way to tell than to talk to it! _Walking up, shoulders squared, Ayla clenched her fists to stop their quivering. The last thing she needed to do in front of a demon was to show weakness._  
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"Hello there!" she said in her cheeriest voice. "Lovely day, isn't it? If it is day, anyway. I honestly can never tell; as you may have gathered I'm not exactly a Fade native."

Blinking its decomposing eyelids, the demon fixed her with a profoundly bored look. "Hmm...So...You are the mortal...being hunted...And the small one...he is to be a snack for me?" The demon spoke slowly and ponderously, pausing oddly between words and sounding almost as though it was yawning from time to time. _Sloth it is then. Lucky for me sloth isn't exactly the most **me** of all the sins. Pride's more my style. _Resisting the urge to yawn, Ayla responded, "Afraid not. I expect he would be a little hard to catch. Especially if you remain lying down." _How would the sloth demon eat anything anyway? The way its massive teeth are protruding, it can't even close its mouth. Shape shifting, I guess._

There was a tinkling sound and a flash of light as Mouse transformed. "I don't like this. We should go, he's not going to help us."

"Oh, calm down, Mouse. You just don't like him because he wants to eat you. You're fine, though, he won't bother. Sloth rarely does. In fact, I'll bet he'd rather teach us something useful than have to get up and eat us," Ayla said, glancing covertly over at the demon as she finished. She saw what she hoped was a thoughtful expression there, though she honestly couldn't tell very well on a bear's face.

"You propose...I teach you my form? Hmm, you are a bit too...fond of your form...most mortals are...He could learn...but too much effort," the demon finished, covering its face lazily with clawed front paws.

By this point Ayla had gotten rather attached to the idea of having a bear by her side to fight her demon. Her face bore a resolute expression, and she said, "If it is too much effort, we'll have to make it worth your while. Would you care to challenge me, to fill the spare time? Unless you have some fake trees to destroy with your back spikes, that is. Nobody else in the Fade seems to have anything better to do, though. What do you say?"

The demon looked intrigued. "You...entertain me in return for...a lesson. Very well, I will teach you my form if you can answer...three riddles." Ayla grinned at this. Riddles were one of her strong suits. She had gone through a period of several months as a child where all she did was look up new ones in the library. She had spoken in nothing else. _Jowan got so mad, he could never figure any of them out._ But the demon wasn't done yet.

"If you can't, then I will eat you," it continued. "Either way, one of you will end up in a bear body...and both would be an...entertaining pastime." _Andraste's holy ass, the penalties for failure in the Fade are harsh. Even the senior enchanters don't give punishments as harsh as spirits. Though honestly, I might rather battle a Sloth Demon than write "I will not skate down the hallways" a thousand more times._

Out loud, Ayla smiled, and did a slight bow. "I accept your challenge, Sloth. Pose me your riddles."

The demon seemed fainty surprised at this. "Really? This is proving...most interesting already...My first...riddle is this: I have seas without water, coasts without sand, towns without people, mountains without land...What am I?"

Immediately, Ayla's mind flashed back to the tower's library, where she had spent so much of her childhood. Seas, coasts, towns, mountains...she had read about all of them, but she could barely recall what they looked like. How many times had she stared at the maps in the corner, wondering about the world just out of her reach?

Wait-maps! That was it! Putting on an expression as though she had known the answer all along, Ayla said, "Child's play. A map."

"Hmph...you are...correct," said Sloth, sounding a little disappointed. "My second riddle is this: I am rarely touched, but often held. If you have wit, you'll use me well. What am I?"

_Well, I certainly have wit. What do I use most with it? My brain? No, you can't hold a brain. Or don't, at least. A...tongue? Yes, that's it, hold your tongue._ "My tongue," stated Ayla confidently; this riddling match was going along much more smoothly than she would have expected.

"Yes, your witty tongue. Fair enough. Finally, my riddle is this: Often will I spin a tale, never will I charge a fee. I'll amuse you for an entire eve, but alas, you won't remember me. What am I?"

This one had Ayla well and truly stumped. _ Spinning a tale? Spinning. Is it some sort of spider? No, spiders don't amuse you. What can you forget after it amuses you? I suppose I wouldn't remember any examples..._ Trying to conceal her uncertainty, Ayla looked around. To the side of this little island in the Fade, there seemed to be nothing below, the sides dropping abruptly into inky blackness. The greenish hue of the ground beneath her thin black boots gave the whole scene a distinctly dreamlike feel. _Fitting that the Fade is where dreams happen, then, isn't it?_

_Actually, would a dream fit the riddle? A dream spins a tale, or any proper dream does, anyhow. You certainly don't have to pay for them, unless you're buying some sort of sleeping charm. Dreams can amuse you all...eve? Night would make more sense, though I guess it wouldn't rhyme quite so well. And 'alas, you won't remember me'! Yes, it fits, it all fits. Dream it is then._

"A dream," said Ayla, smiling smugly. "Very fitting, considering the surroundings. I applaud you."

Somewhat grudgingly, the demon said, "Yes, a dream...and you have passed my test. Come here, small one, I will teach you my form."

Mouse, however, seemed to have other ideas. "Not a chance. I don't think I'm cut out to be a bear. How would I hide?"

Ayla rolled her eyes. "Did I go through all those riddles for nothing? Maker's beard, just learn to be a bear. It would do you good to maul your fears instead of hiding from them anyway."

Mouse looked unsure, but swalleowed deeply and closed his eyes. When he opened them a few seconds later, they held a new resolve. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward. Ayla leaned in closely, trying to look for some sort of clue as to how the lesson would occur. She was disappointed to find that it wasn't anything she could use; the demon laid a paw on Mouse's back. There was a moment of silence, then another twinkling noise and flash of light. When Ayla could see again, where Mouse had been there stood a large black bear, though notably devoid of spikes.

"Did it work? Am I...a bear?" asked Mouse, looking down at himself for an answer. "It feels...heavy."

"Yes, yes," said the demon, looking bored once more. "Now you can go off to be...killed by your demon. Be on your way now, I have some...rest to catch up on."

With a slight bob of her head, Ayla turned on her heel and walked crisply back in the direction she came, toward her final test. Behind her she could hear Mouse following (_Can I still call him Mouse? Eh, what the hell, he's still a mouse on the inside, bear-ish though he looks.)_, though his footsteps now thumped heavily on the spongy ground.

_Two spirits down, one to go. _Ayla set her jaw. _I just hope my streak holds._

_Thanks for reading! Please review, any words at all make me deeply happy in a highly pathetic way._


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Bioware, of course; I just thought that I would try to write this as a token of my love

**Chapter 6: Fire...Why Did it Have to be Fire?**

Ayla jogged gently forward, wanting to get her test over with. She was keenly aware that every second she remained in the Fade was another second closer to being killed by overly wary Templars. Restricted by the tight-fitting skirt of her robe, she could only do tiny steps, rather than the great bounds she was imagining were otherwise possible. _Dumbass robes. Mystic and magical though they are, it seems to me that the tranquil could stand to make something a little easier to move in. And what's with the shiny gold skull jockstrap anyway? If any of the mages should have a jockstrap incorporated into their robes, in should be the males. _When she was younger Ayla had cut slits in the sides of her robes to make them easier to move in. Maker, had she gotten detention for that one! _I didn't even seen Jowan for a week, he got so worried that he walked all the way up to Irving's office, forbidden as it was. Irving was so amused that he gave me a special pass._ Ayla smiled. _Good old Irving. Unlike **some** of the senior enchanters, Irving can take a joke._

Up ahead were yet more spirit wolves. _Oh, for Andraste's sake. Haven't I already proved I can beat these suckers? You know what, I'm not even going to participate in this battle. Mouse can do it himself. His true indoctrination into bearhood. _True enough, Mouse, after tripping slightly on his own paws, charged up to the wolves and chomped right down, making one blink out in only a second. Unable to resist a fight, Ayla furtively sent a bolt of magic to take out the last of them.

"Not cut out to be a bear, huh?" said Ayla, thumping Mouse on the shoulder. "I'd say you fit in well enough." Her smile sliding from her face, Ayla looked up ahead. Only a few feet away was the entrance to her final rink. _You know, I thought the worst test I would ever have to take was Enchanter Bofend's ten page thesis about Chantry history, but this whole "Fight to the Death" thing might just take the cake._

Taking a deep breath, Ayla gripped her staff more tightly and walked composedly into the ring. _Let's get this over with._

Standing stiffly in the middle of the clearing, Ayla looked around her, simultaneously trying to keep her composure and be on her guard for the demon's approach. For a few moments, there was nothing, but then the eerie silence was broken by a deep evil laugh. _Wonderful, it has to make an entrance. Andraste's asscheeks, everything in the Fade belongs in an amateur drama troupe!_

The ground in front of Ayla was bubbling and churning. As she instinctively took a step back, a glowing red talon-ed hand pushed through the opening, and then another. With a heave, they pulled the rest of the demon up through the ground. Swaying slightly, the demon's luminous body constantly shifted, bright patches of fire mixing with stifled embers. Two fiery pits acted as eyes. A demon of rage.

Her mind blank of its usual snark, Ayla looked on at the demon in paralyzed fear. _Fire. Burning, pain springing up. Vivian screaming as the flames blasted from her hands, uncontrolled. The senior enchanters yelling, trying to get her to stop. Failing. The apprentices running around in terror. Dodging out of the way, too slow. My sleeve catching on fire, roasting the flesh inside. Vivian being paralyzed by one of the enchanters, the flames ending. Water, conjured from the air, dousing the flames on my robes but leaving the ones under my skin to burn. The pain too strong, blacking out._

Ayla stumbled forward slightly, barely saving herself from tripping. The flames were too much, they broke through her composure. She was, for the first real time in years, truly afraid. _I wonder if they know, if this test is tailored for me. Or perhaps I just got unlucky, maybe I'm just a freak. The one destruction mage afraid of fire._

Transfixed by the embers shifting, burning, Ayla was glad when the demon spoke; she could regain herself. She had to, or she would die, cut down first in spirit by the demon and then in body when the Templars slew the abomination she would become.

"And so it begins," the demon boomed, its voice echoing slightly like everything else in the Fade. "Soon I shall see the world through your eyes, creature. You shall be mine, body and soul."

Regaining some of her bravado, Ayla said, "Not likely. You are welcome to try, though, if you'd like to be frozen and ripped to bits by my friendly bear here."

The demon chuckled. "I doubt that will be a problem." Turning to Mouse, he said, "So this is the offering you have brought me, as per our arrangement?"

_What. The. Fuck. Mouse conspiring to kill me too? You know, I wish I could say that I was surprised, but from what I have been experiencing of the Fade lately, it doesn't really seem out of place. I'm just somewhat shocked that he could keep his treachery a secret; he hardly strikes me as the best of actors. _

To Ayla's surprise, however, Mouse put his head in his hands, ashamed. When he took them away, his face held a new sense of determination. _Well, that's interesting._

"I'm not offering you anything, I don't have to help you anymore! I am a mouse no longer, and now it should be you hiding from me," he said, his voice getting progressively steadier. _Will you look at that, my good old cowardly, traitorous bastard seems to be growing a spine after all._

__The demon sounded disappointed. "After all the lovely meals we have shared together too. So be it. If you want to cast your lot in with the mages, you will make a tasty snack too."

With a lunge, the creature attacked. Ayla screamed and barely dodged out of the way of those burning claws, barely missing her sleeves. There was a series of popping noises, and five wisps appeared around the beast. _Uh oh. Stupid wisps might actually prove a challenge in a group. I hope Mouse can handle them._ Backing up, she sent a bolt at one before focusing her attention on the rage demon.

_Okay, ice, don't fail me now!_ Chanting, she lifted her arm, and shouted the final words of the incantation. With a cool rush of air, the demon was temporarily frozen, the glowing embers becoming black for a moment. It was no time for resting, though. _All right, wisps, if you like electricity so much let's see how it becomes you. _ She had been working on learning a lightning spell, though if she were perfectly honest with herself she hadn't quite mastered it yet. _Oh well. No time like the present for trying dangerous new spells!_ Pointing her index finger at one of the wisps, she spoke the incantation, and had to suppress the urge to pump her fist when a crackling bolt of lightning shot from it, vaporizing another wisp. _Oh yeah, suck it, I am on fire today! Wait, fire. Shit. _

In the time that it had taken to kill the wisp, the rage demon was back up and coming. Seeing that it was preparing some sort of spell_ (Probably a fireball, that horrible little bastard), _Ayla threw another bolt of magic at it, followed by another blast of cold. With that, though, Ayla felt a horrible weak sensation, and her head pounded. _Ah, shit. Out of juice. __Staff it is then, I suppose._

Running in slightly ridiculous circles around the ring, Ayla shot bolt after bolt at the demon, each of them crackling solidly against its side but none of them enough to finish the battle. Mouse was rearing up on his hind legs, taking out the last of the wisps. Ayla looked at the approaching demon, panicked. She wasn't going to kill it any time soon with blasts from her staff. She needed magic, for which she needed mana. And in the Fade, the only way to get mana was incredibly dangerous.

Looking down beside her, Ayla stared at the glowing blue spikes of lyrium that jutted from the ground. _Touching that much lyrium in the real world would be a death sentence, but here in the Fade you have to use mind over matter, make it restore your power rather than infecting it. It could kill me...but if I'm going to die I would rather it be from too much magic than from being burned to death. _

Reaching down, Ayla grabbed the spike. Instantly, she felt a rush of energy. As she struggled to contain it, to remain calm, she thought of a more interesting method. Outstretching her arm, she yelled a spell, not even hearing it over the magic that pounded in her ears. She poured all of her new raw energy into the blast, and it paid off. There was a blinding flash of white light, and the demon froze solid, cracking into a thousand shards and crumbling to the floor.

Ayla walked over to the demon's remains. Kicking the ashes with the tip of her boot, she smiled. _Ice beats fire._

_Thanks for reading! Reviews are extremely appreciated._


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Bioware, of course; I just thought that I would try to write this as a token of my love ;)

_A/N: Okay, I am sorry I haven't posted in so long, I have been vacationing (gasp) without internet for the past three weeks so I couldn't exactly post any updates. I promise to update much more frequently for the rest of the summer, however. I hope you will bear with me and continue reading._

**Chapter 7: Everything is Always a Trick**

Ayla poked among the ashes curiously, looking for any clues on the creature's composition. _If I'm lucky, this will be the last demon I'll ever see. I might as well learn what I can before my test ends. Actually, isn't my test over? I killed the demon, so my mission is complete. _Now that she thought about it, no one had mentioned what she was supposed to do after she defeated her demon. _I guess I just expected to wake up in the real world the second I made the killing blow. Or spell, rather. But either way, that doesn't appear to be happening. Unless the mages are lagging behind or something. Am I supposed to find my way out of the Fade? If so, I call unfair. Escaping wasn't in the bargain. Unless...unless killing the demon wasn't my real objective. _

She heard the heavy footsteps of a bear walking towards her, then a tinkling noise. Behind her, Mouse cleared his throat.

"You did it! You actually did it! When you came I hoped...but I never thought that any of you would actually be _worthy_." Ayla turned, grinning.

"Well, I guess you can be forgiven for that. You had never met me, after all." Something didn't seem right here, though. _That was it? That was the fabled Harrowing that so many mages never come back from, the Harrowing that Vivian hadn't-_

Out loud, she mused, "Worthy as I am, I can't help feeling that it should have been harder. A fight to the death is extreme, yes, but the battle was hardly the most difficult imaginable. Isn't the whole purpose of the Harrowing to weed out mages who aren't strong enough to resist a demon? Rage is weak; those able to defeat a demon of rage could easily fall before one of Pride or Desire."

"But you would not. You are a true mage, one of the few. The others never had a chance. I regret my part in it, but they would have died before their demons, but not you. You have showed me that there can be hope, that the demons do not have to win."

She appreciated bragging and compliments better than most, but all the same, something about Mouse was starting to feel...off to her. _Other than the fact that he would have betrayed me and gotten me killed if I hadn't made him think I could win, that is. But still...do I really believe his story? An apprentice, killed for taking too long rather than by a demon. That much makes sense, at least. But his robes...they are of a senior mage. Since he has apparently led countless apprentices to their deaths, I hardly think he could have forgotten the color of our robes. And what Irving said...keep my wits about me. _

"So what do you hope to get out of me," asked Ayla cautiously. She wanted to ask him-or it- what he was straight up, but she knew that she couldn't risk enraging him should he be what she feared.

He smiled. "You are a powerful mage, and in time you will be a powerful enchanter, high in the Circle. There will be no mage your equal in all of Thedas. No one will be able to argue with your decisions, and there is hope in that for someone as small and...forgotten as me. I could come back, regain a foothold in your world. All you would have to do is want to let me in."

_Well, shit. I was right. On most days being right is fun, but today I just predict continually bad news. The real question is, how should I play this? If I reveal that I know what he is will he just kill me and wait for another, more gullible apprentice? _One thing was for sure-if he was her real test than she couldn't just walk away and pretend that she believed him. _What fools a demon can certainly fool a Templar, and I have no desire to be executed for showing moral weakness._ No, she had no other option. She would have to go for it, dangerous or no.

"Let you in, you say? Let you in to where? Your body was destroyed long ago, you could hardly repossess it. A human cannot possess any form but his own, but that wouldn't be a problem for you, would it?" She narrowed her eyes. "Because demons have no problem possessing any form they can get their hands on. The real thing mages have to fear from demons isn't being killed by them, it's trusting them long enough for them to stab us in the back and then take that back for their own. My task is to defeat a demon, but not the one one in ashes beneath my feet. No, that's clear. You are my real test, and hell if I'm not going to pass it. If it wasn't clear, my answer is no, Mouse. You'll get no help from me, not now and not when the Templars think they can trust me. Because apparently, they already can."

Mouse looked flabbergasted, but as he looked at Ayla fixing him with a determined glare, his expression changed. He smiled, and when he spoke his voice was no longer Mouse's, but deep and echoing: the voice of a demon.

"You are a smart one. Simple killing is a warrior's job." As he spoke, he grew, changed. His face seemed to melt, reforming in a terrifying mass of interwoven flesh, his skin a purplish red. He grew, legs stretching, body broadening, fingers stretching into talons. "For a mage, the real dangers of the Fade are preconceptions, careless trust...pride." He towered over her, speaking each word as if to a prize pupil. "Keep your wits about you, mage."

There was a ringing in her ears, and her vision was growing blurry. _Is this what being possessed feels like? _She felt herself crumpling, and then whiteness filled her vision and she remembered no more.

_Thanks for reading! Please, please review._


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Bioware, of course; I just thought that I would try to write this as a token of my love ;)

**Chapter 8: Wake-up Calls Are Overrated**

Ayla tossed, hearing the demon's words ringing in her ears. Her head pounded, and her eyes remained clenched closed, afraid to brave whatever light was daring to sneak past her eyelids. The real question is, where was that light coming from? _Where am I? I was in the Fade, and the demon said to keep my wits about me, and then everything got so bright, but...I almost feel comfortable now. What am I lying on? _Blindly, she felt around with her hand, managing to find the edge of a comforter before smacking her hand right into a solid oak bedpost.

Her eyes flew open, and she sat bolt upright. "Dammit, by the frickin' holy head of Andraste, our beds have no right to be that solid!" She blinked a few times, trying to make out her surroundings. She was plainly in her bed in the Apprentice Quarters, that much was clear. The templars must have carried her back down here after she passed the Harrowing. Absently, she wondered who had been in charge or carrying her back. Her thoughts instantly went to Cullen, his strong arms holding her as carefully as if she were precious, shielding her from-_ Oh, for Andraste's sake, Ayla, grow up. Cullen is not your knight in shining armor, he never will be. He is a Templar of the Tower, sworn to keep mages like you in check. He almost had to execute you today, for Maker's sake. _To clear her mind, she looked around her. On the other side of the room were the usual gossipers, Greta and Nellie, but for once Ayla was glad to hear her name come up in their badly hushed whispers. _Today is my day of fame, when I am the talk of the whole Tower. Well, the Apprentices anyway. Hearing how I had the "quickest, cleanest Harrowing ever" is much better than hearing about how my hair isn't parted correctly or something equally as frivolous. _ Not seeing anything of interest on either side of her bed, she stretched lazily and swung her feet over to dangle over the side. In doing so, she happened to glance over at the head of her bed, where Jowan stood, grinning carelessly.

"Holy mother of shitfaced-how long have you been standing there?" Ayla demanded, standing up abruptly, wincing as her head banged on the top bunk. _After all these years, I still can't remember to duck. _

He grinned back lazily. "Three hours? Four? They brought you back in the middle of the night, and I knew I couldn't miss watching you wake up after last night of all nights." Ayla scowled, even more when he added, "And I was so very right, by the way; you did not disappoint."

They stood there, her scowling, him raising his eyebrows, until it became too much. All at once, their wills crumbled, and they both cracked up laughing, fighting for a place on the tiny bunk to collapse onto. Slowly, they subsided into silence.

"I was worried about you, you know," Jowan said, sitting up and leaning against a post. "Worried you wouldn't come back. After Vivian, I don't know if I could handle another... Well, I'm glad you're all right."

Ayla followed his lead, propping herself up against the other side of the bed. "I know. And...thanks. But you know, you needn't have worried. I am **me**, after all. No Harrowing can best me."

Jowan fixed her with a pleading look. "Okay, tell me. What's it like?"

Ayla pretended to think. "It was...harrowing."

"Oh, come on, Ayla, you can tell me. I won't tell, I just- I need to know. Besides, we had that bet. Remember, if Irving tried to paralyze you I get all your dessert for a week."

Ayla sighed. "Jowan, please, don't make me do this. You know I can't tell you, and you know if I were going to tell anyone in the world it would be you. All I can say is that no, you do not get my dessert, and that you will be ready when your time comes."

Jowan's face turned from an exaggerated pout to a grim set of his jaw. "That's actually something I need to talk to you about. I- I don't think they're going to let me go through my Harrowing."

Ayla rolled her eyes. "Oh, quit worrying, Jowan. You're overreacting. I'm sure they'll come for you any day now. It's just a matter of time, I doubt the Templars want to do more than one Harrowing in a week. Holy army of the Maker or not, they get grumpy when they don't sleep enough just like anyone else does, and the last thing we want is grumpy Templars."

But he wasn't consoled. "Easy for you to say. You already passed your Harrowing, and now you can move to the nice Mages' Quarters upstairs and leave me all alone." He got up and walked over to the wall, staring at the smooth stone. "I've been here longer than you have, and I don't think they're ever going to call me."

"What else are they going to do, keep you an apprentice for all your life? Release you into the wilderness?" Ayla smirked, imagining Jowan trying to forage for food. _He'd probably knock over a tree by accident and get swarmed by a mob of squirrels._

"They could make me a Tranquil!" Jowan burst out, before turning back to the wall and letting his head fall to hit it. _Is he really convinced that they're going to make him into one of those walking bits of furniture? _Not sure what to say, she rose, and laid a hand on his shoulder in the most comforting way she knew.

For a minute they stood there, awkwardly, until Ayla said, "Oh, for Andraste's sake, I still think you're a paranoid fool for thinking you won't be Harrowed, but if you really think so, the only thing I can do is demand a hug." She extended her arms, giving him a questioning expression. For a second, he stood there, looking almost lost, but then he softened, and held out his arms. Ayla hugged him tight, and whispered in his ear, "Now, come on, man, stop being such a pansy. We're not six anymore."

Letting go, he nodded. "I shouldn't waste any more of your time anyway, I was supposed to tell you to meet Irving in his office when you awoke."

Ayla looked puzzled. "What about?" _Do all new mages have to report to headquarters? Will I have to be sworn in or something? Maker, if we have to recite something from the chant that whole book is being frozen solid faster than they can say, "Magic exists to serve man and never to rule over him."_

"I don't know, they didn't say. You know how it is, you never know with Irving. It could be he just wants to shower you with praise for being such an 'outstanding student'," he made a face, "or it could be that you still have the written portion of your Harrowing to do. Either way, you probably shouldn't keep him waiting."

Ayla nodded. "Headed up there now, then. And, Jowan, don't think that you're getting rid of me just because I'm a full mage now. Talk to you after Irving, right?"

"Yeah, I'll find you after you've done your sucking-up," he said.

Sticking out her tongue as she left, Ayla walked into the hall, a full mage at long last. _  
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_Thanks for reading! Please, please review. _


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Bioware, of course; I just thought that I would try to write this as a token of my love ;)

**Chapter 9:Viewed From Above**

Walking through the Apprentice Quarters, Ayla could barely believe she was leaving them behind. She had dreamed of this day ever since she had first been an apprentice, but now that it had really come it felt odd, like it weren't even happening. _I am a mage. A real mage, I have graduated. I'm not on the bottom anymore! _Still, though, it wasn't like she was never going to see the dorms again, or the people in them. The difference was, now she would be above them, looking on as a superior. _I wish Jowan didn't have this stupid paranoia complex about not being Harrowed, I was looking forward to teasing him mercilessly for the week or so that I was his superior. I guess I just have to sit tight and wait for him to get Harrowed so he can be fun again. _

A child's giggles echoed from the door to her right. Ayla smiled. _Children may get in the way sometimes, but they are what makes the Tower alive. _Pausing, she looked inside. Ten year old Randy was standing on the top of his bunk, pretending to be King Calahad as he led his great army. For Randy, his army seemed to consist mainly of eight year olds, including one little girl named Danya who showed promise to be one of the greatest spirit mages the Tower had ever seen. Already she had managed to conjure a half-decent spellwisp, albeit one that only lasted three seconds. Still, Ayla loved the girl like a sister, and would sometimes read to her from the advanced books when she had the time. Danya had a great appetite for complex magical theories.

Before she could move on, the girl had spotted her, messy braids swinging as she ran over to embrace Ayla. "Yay! Ayla, have you come to read to me? King Randy has almost finished his speech." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "He's trying to copy the one from The Throne of Kings, but he doesn't know it very well."

Regretfully, Ayla pried the little girl off her. "I wish I could read to you, dear, but I did my Harrowing last night and I have to go see Irving now." The little girl looked stricken.

"But if you're Harrowed then you're a big mage now, and you have to go up to the big mage floor. I'm not going to see you anymore!" The girl sniffed, looking like she was about to cry. Hastily Ayla dropped to one knee.

"Of course you will. You see big mages in the library all the time, right? And you live right by the library. I may not be able to see you as often, but I will still come, as long as you do your lessons. Work hard to become a good mage, okay?" With wide eyes, Danya nodded. "Good. Now, I think King Randy needs his best strategist back in his army for the battle plan, doesn't he?" The little girl beamed and ran back over to Randy, where she joined the rest of the kids in their battlecry.

Smiling, Ayla stood and left the room. Picking up her pace, her footsteps echoed as they usually did as she strode through the empty base hall. In the corner, a mage was observing the range of his stonethrow, taking a few steps back and blasting a heavy rock at a slightly dented area of the wall. _I hope he knows how to repair the cracks when he's done. Getting crushed by a collapsing tower isn't exactly how I'd prefer to die. _

Skipping through the tiny hallway, she emerged into her favorite room in the Tower. Bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, almost twenty feet, covering all the walls and then some. Ladders leaned up against each shelf, mages climbing them quickly with the confidence of frequent practice. Some shelves with more popular tomes had a line cuing to use the ladder, mages tapping their feet impatiently and talking about their research. And books, everywhere the books. More books than Ayla had ever imagined before coming to the Tower. _I wouldn't exactly say that the books are worth a life in prison, but at least it makes the prison more interesting. _If there was anything in the world that Ayla liked more than magic it was books. She had spent countless days curled up in some forgotten corner engrossed in tales of adventure, swashbuckling, chivalry, and tragic death. She loved all books, loved learning about far-away places, the history of Thedas, even the lands just a stone wall away. _Not that I'll ever see them. Unless there's a war where they need mages to defeat the enemy, I'm never likely to set foot outdoors._

Seeing all the books, Ayla longed to forget about her errand and sit down with one of her old favorites, but she knew she couldn't. Irving was expecting her, and it wouldn't do to be late on her first day as a true mage. Passing all the Enchanters teaching apprentices the more basic principles of magic, she walked through the office and bounded up the stairs. _  
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Passing by Owain, she gave him a wide berth, trying not to stare. _Not that he'd care. Looking at me with those dead eyes- creepy, that's what that is._ She imagined Jowan like that, and had to suppress a shudder.

As she left, Ayla couldn't resist looking up at the ceiling so far above. She never could, when passing through. _So open; I can almost remember how big the sky is. Maker help me, I look at ceilings imagining the outdoors. This is why you're not supposed to keep people in enclosed spaces. _ Regretfully, she tore her eyes away, walking toward Irving's office. The thick green carpet seemed to soak up her footsteps, but all the same she slowed when she neared her destination, struggling to hear the argument unfolding within.

"...many have already gone to Ostagar! Wynne, Uldred, and many of the senior mages. We have committed enough of our own to this war effort!" Gregoire was shouting. Ayla narrowed her eyes. Gregoire was eager enough to claim the mages now, but when whoever the strangely armored man standing inthe office left it would be a different story entirely.

Irving was evidently thinking the same thing. "Your own? Since when have you felt such kinship with the mages? Or are you simply too afraid to let them out from under your watchful eye, so they can actually use their Maker-given powers?" Irving never yelled, but spoke with an authority that could shame even the most rambunctious apprentice into quiet.

Unfortunately, Gregoire was not an apprentice. "How dare you-" he blustered, and would have gone on had not the mystery man interjected.

"Gentlemen, please. Irving, I believe you have a visitor." Ayla had been edging closer the whole discussion, and had apparently gotten a little too close. Walking in like she had intended to be spotted, Ayla bowed slightly.

"You sent for me, Irving?"

Irving turned, smiling. "Ah, if it isn't our new sister of the Circle. Welcome, child." The stranger looked to Irving interestedly, a question in his eyes.

"This is...?" he asked.

Irving nodded. "Yes, this is she." _So, they've been talking about me. Interesting. I wonder what was said._

__Sighing, Gregoire said, "Well, Irving, you are obviously busy. We will discuss this later." With that, he clanked his way out of the room. Ayla had to bite her lip to keep a victorious grin from spreading across her face. _Yeah, that's right you big self-righteous tin can, Irving is talking to me instead of you. _

Irving nodded. "Where was I? Oh, yes, where are my manners? Ayla, this is Duncan, of the Grey Wardens."

_Grey Warden...now where have I heard that before? Oh, of course, the ballad of Ayesleigh. An ancient group of elite warriors, protecting the realm from darkspawn and blights. But there hasn't been a blight in 400 years, I thought the order disbanded ages ago._

Out loud, she said, "I am honored to meet a member of such a renowned order. Well met, Duncan." She inclined her head.

He chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. "She is certainly polite."

"Indeed. Ayla, you may have heard about the army amassing to the South. Duncan is here to pick up recruits to fight in the king's army." Irving looked slyly at his former pupil, knowing how fascinated she was with events in the outside world.

Ayla looked up excitedly. "An army? I hadn't heard anything of this, Frank and Lewis- I mean, the Templars at the door- didn't say anything. And Duncan is recruiting? Can I volunteer?"

Shaking his head, Irving chuckled softly. "Child, you have only just become a mage. Much as Duncan may need spells, yours will have to wait. Today is a happy day for you."

Duncan shook his head gravely. "There are few happy days ahead of us, I fear. These are troubled times. I fear a Blight has come upon us."

"Duncan, you will worry the girl with all this talk of Blights and darkspawn. This is a day of celebration for her." He turned back to Ayla. "Child, get settled into your new place in the Circle before you throw your staff into battling this Blight. The darkspawn will still be there, I am sure." Ayla nodded, though reluctantly.

Irving crossed to the chair, where he picked up a pile of beautifully crafted items. "Now, to welcome you into magehood, here are your new robes, a staff, and a ring bearing the insignia of the circle. May you wear them well, and take pride in your magic." Gratefully, Ayla took the items. The robe was a beautiful golden color, and the staff had a good weight; solid, but not so heavy that it couldn't be twirled. The ring she slid onto her finger, admiring its gleam in the flickering lights of the study.

"I know you have much celebrating to do today, and you shall have the day off to do it. First, though, would you mind escorting Duncan to his rooms? He is staying in the guest quarters, on the other side of this floor." _So he wants to give me a chance to talk to this Grey Warden. Kind of him to provide me with such a nice source of current event information._

__She nodded. "I would love to. Duncan, after me whenever you are ready. Irving, I will take my leave, with your permission." With both of their nods, Ayla draped her new robes over her arm and walked out the door. _Now all I need is a room to change in._

_Thanks for reading! Please, if you would review it would mean a lot to me._


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